In recent years, the rise of the minimalist movement has seen many people embark on a quest to learn to live with less stuff.

From Marie Kondo selling millions of books on decluttering, to the hugely popular US podcasters, The Minimalists, regularly selling out live shows — we can't seem to get enough of the idea that less is more.

Do minimalists, voluntary simplifiers and downshifters know something we don't?

Tim Kasser, a psychology professor at Knox College in Illinois known for his work on materialism and wellbeing, describes a minimalist as someone who "chooses to work and earn less so they can focus on other things in life".

"It's someone who decides not to buy into the 'work, spend, go into debt, work some more' lifestyle, which is encouraged by consumerist society," Professor Kasser says.

"[They] instead focus on personal growth, their family, or spirituality … living sustainably or contributing to the community."